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Gov. DeSantis names task force focused on easing nursing home visit restrictions

Gov. DeSantis names task force focused on easing nursing home visit restrictions

Gov. Ron DeSantis Friday announced the formation of a new task force focused on the safe and limited reopening of long-term care facilities in Florida. He says the panel will develop guidelines on how to safely allow family members to visit their loved ones in Florida’s long-term care facilities ,where visitation has been prohibited since March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [Source: Health News Florida]

Florida Board of Medicine defers on physician licensing fees

Citing budgetary concerns, members of the Florida Board of Medicine delayed until October a decision on a request to waive physician licensure and renewal fees for the next two years. Board of Medicine executive director Claudia Kemp said she had a conversation with a state budget official who flagged the request, which was made by Florida Medical Association. [Source: WUSF]

Wanted: Thousands of South Florida volunteers for COVID-19 vaccine trials

First came the coronavirus in record numbers in South Florida. Now come the vaccine makers looking for a fertile testing ground for whether their inoculations work. The big names in the race for a COVID-19 vaccine have descended, contracting with research sites in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties. They are recruiting thousands of volunteers who have not yet been infected for six or more large-scale vaccine studies. [Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel]

AHCA: Medicaid managed care changes on the way

As the number of Floridians relying on Medicaid for health care climbs, the state is moving to change a rule about disenrollment and when people can request to be switched to different managed care plans. The state Agency for Health Care Administration announced Monday its intent to change a rule to clarify reasons an enrollee may request to change managed care plans. More from Health News Florida and the Florida Courier.

See also:
» Florida hits medicaid plans with $2M in contract breach sanctions

Disease-carrying mosquitoes resist insecticide

Researchers have found that two breeds of mosquitoes common in Florida have become resistant to pyrethroids, a class of insecticide commonly used against them. Dr. Keira Lucas, Director of Research for the Collier Mosquito Control District, participated in published studies showing the resistance. “We have over 40 kinds of mosquitoes here in Collier County. The only two that we have identified resistance in is aedes aegypti and culex quinquefasciatus. The problem is that they are the disease vectors,” Lucas said. [Source: ]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› A newborn died and St. Joseph’s Hospital lost his body, lawsuit says
A Gibsonton couple is suing St. Joseph’s Hospital, alleging the facility lost the body of their newborn son, Jacob, who died days after birth. Kathryn and Travis Wilson have suffered physical and mental pain due to the incident, according to a lawsuit filed in Hillsborough County on June 9.

› New cases of West Nile virus detected in South Florida
Health officials in the two South Florida counties have confirmed more cases of the mosquito-borne West Nile virus. On Tuesday, two cases were confirmed in Miami-Dade County, bringing the total number of cases there to 26, the Florida Department of Health said. In neighboring Broward County, officials confirmed the first case in 2020.

› 'We have lost the benefit of herd immunity:' Jacksonville doctor says measles outbreak a real possibility
The CDC has reported a steady and drastic decline in the number of children vaccinated for things like measles, mumps and rubella. UF Health Jacksonville immunologist and pediatric infectious disease specialist Dr. Mobeen Rathore says the pandemic should not stop you from doing this.

› Florida nurses join nationwide protests for more protection in COVID battle
Florida nurses joined in a nationwide protest last week calling for more protection on the job in their battle with the coronavirus pandemic. More than 200 demonstrations were planned at hospitals in 16 states across the country. Around a dozen nurses and personnel showed up for one rally that took place outside the VA Hospital in downtown Miami, where records show one employee has died from COVID-19 so far this year.